Shock-absorber.



PATENTED JAN. 7, 1908.

L. WHITCOMB.

SHOCK ABSORBER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 10, 1907.

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Fig.1.

. LAWRENCE WHITCOMB, OFBROOKLINE, MASSACHUSETTS.

SHO CK-AB SORBER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 7, 1908.

Application filed ulf' 10, 1907- serial No. 383044 To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LAWRENCE WHIT- COMB, a citizen of the United States, residing in Brookline, in the county ofNorfolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Shock-Absorbers, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawings representing like arts.

T is invention relates to a shock absorber for use on automobiles and like vehicles, and has for its object to provide a simple, inexpensive and efficient device for the purpose specified. a To this end the shock absorber is provided with two members movable with relation to sorberembodyin this invention.

each other and adapted to be connected'to' the car body and to the spring or axle supporting the same, one of the said members ei'ng provided with cork sections by means of which increased frictional contact between the members of the device may be obtained. The cork sections may and preferably will be inserted into suitable sockets in a compressed state and retainedtherein by the expansion of the cork. Provision may also be made for varying the frictional engagement of the members as will be described. These and other features of this invention will be pointed out in theclaiins at the end of this specification.

Figure 1 is a vertical section taken on the line 11,- Fig. 2, of one form of shock ab- Fig. 2, a

. cross section on t e line 22, Fig. 1, looking upward, and Fig. 3, a modification in section to be referred to.

Referring to the drawing, a represents one member of the shock absorber which is designed to be suitably secured to one art of the vehicle, as forinstance, to the b0 y-su porting spring or to the axle of the vehic e (not shown). The member a is shown in the present instance as a hollow casin or cylinder closed at one end by the head provided with an eye 0, by means of which connection with the spring or axle may be'made, said casin having its otherend closed by a remova 1e cap The member 11 contains within it a cooperating member, which is operatively con- 'nected with the car body and which is shown in Figs. 1 and 2 as composed oftwo jaws or parts e hinged or pivotally connected together at f at one end and open at the opposite end for the passage of an expander, which is shown in Fig. 1 as a wedge-shaped or tapering head 9 on a rod 71 The tapering head g cooperates with the inclined inner walls or surfaces 10 of the two jaws or parts e, so that when the head 9 is moved in one direction, said jaws or parts will be moved outwardly or laterally, and when said head is moved in the opposite direction, said jaws will move inwardly. The rod h is designed to be connected with the body of the vehicle (not shown) and is shown as provided with an eye 7' for this purpose.

In order to increase the frictional engagement of the jaws e with the casing or member a, the said jaws are provided with'cork sections, blocks or pieces m, which may be inserted under compression into sockets n in the outer surfaces of said jaws and retained therein by the expansion of the cork.

The cork sections or inserts m are caused to engage the casing a when the jaws e are expanded, and serve to retard the longitudinal movement of the members and thereby reduce the shock to the-occupants of the car body, when the vehicle travels over rough roads.

The amount of friction set up between the members of the device may be regulated by determining1 the extent of movement of the edge g, w ich may be accom lished by means of-a sleeve or nut 15 provided with internal screw-threads, which enga e SCIQVV'." threads 16 on the rod h for it w be seen that by adjusting the sleeve or nut 15, its lower end may be lowered or raised with relation to the arms 17 on the jaws 6 so as to arrest the wedge in its expanding movement the cork insooner or later and thereby regulate the amount of ressure exerted serts upon t e casing or member a.

The cork inserts ma project beyond the surface of the j aws'and compressed byengagement with the casing as the pressure is increased, due to a longitudinal movement of the wed e.

In operation, the expander rod h and the nut 15 move upward with the vehicle body, and if this movement is abnormal, the wedge g expands the jaws and creates a friction between the cork and the casing, with the result that the upward movement of the vehi- -cle body is .resisted or retarded and the shock to the occupantsof the vehicle avoided oi at least materially reduced. The return or inward movement ofthe jaws e may be asare capable of being described. 1

sisted by a spring 20, which bears against the two jaws near the pivot of the same and against the end of the expanding head 1. By reference to Fig. 1, it will be seen that if the nut 15 is moved down on the rod h, the flange 21 on said nut is moved further. away from the arms 17, which allows the wedge to be moved upward a greater distance before being stopped by the said arms, conse-. uently' a greater pressure is exerted between dhe jaws e and the casing a.

In Fi .1, I have shown one form of expander For moving the jaws e laterally, but I do not desire to knit my invention in this respect, as said expander may be made in other forms, as for instance in Fig. 3, the expander is shown as toggle levers 22 pivoted to the jaws and to the rod h. 1

Claims.

1. In a shock absorber, in combination, a hollow member capable of being attached to the vehicle spring or axle, a cooperating. member within said hollow, member, cork inserts in one of said parts, an expander, a-

threaded rod secured to said expander, a threaded sleeve or nut adjustableon said threadedrod and engaging said cooperatingmember to limit the "ovement of said-ex pander and thereby re late .the pressure of said cooperating mem 'er,subst ant1ally as 2. In a shock absorber,"in combination, a hollow member capablev of being attached to the vehicle spring or axle, a cooperating member within said hollow member, cork inserts in one of said arts, an expander capable of being attache capable of being attached to the vehic e'bo, yv

'in said hollow member,

faces, and

to the vehicle body and movable longitudinally to cause said coo erating member to engage said hollow mem er, and means to vary the movement of the ex-. 40 pander and thereby regulate the pressure-between said cooperating member and said hollow member, substantially as described. p

3; In a shock bsorber, in combination, a hollow member, a cooperating member within said hollow member and provided withan inclined inner surface and with cork inserts in its outer surface, and an expandin wed e and cooperating with said inclined surface,

substantially as described. f

4. In a shock absorber, in combinationya hollow member, cooperating members with cooperating members, a rod to whichsaid ex pander is connected, and means on said rod to engage said cooperating member and limit vthe movement of said expander, substantially as described. f 5. In a shock absorber, in combination, a hollow member, a cooperating member com prising aws having mclined inner surfaces, a wedge cooperating with said inclined surmeans connected with said wedge to effect movement thereof, substantially-as 65 described. v p In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two sdbscribing witnesses'. I

. A E E TQQ B Witnesses: 1 v

J AS. H; CHURCHILL, I J. MURPHY. I

an expander for said /s 

